Bhopal: Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Shri Mahendra Singh Sisodia said that the State Government has once again taken a big step for women empowerment, withdrawing the operation of nutritional food plants from MP Agro and giving it to federations of women self-help groups formed under Livelihood Mission. This important decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting. With this decision of the government, lakhs of group members of the state will be benefitted by the profits made by preparing and supplying nutritious food in the state. The assurance to hand over this nutritious food plant to the women was given by the Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in self-help group dialogue programme on September 16 in Bhopal.
Historic decision to increase livelihood opportunities
In Anganwadi centres operated under Integrated Child Development Scheme, the work of providing Take Home Ration (THR) to children between 6 months to 3 years, pregnant, lactating mothers and teenage girls under Kishori Balika Yojana was being done by MP Agro. This work was given to self-help groups in the year 2018-19 by setting up THR plants at Dewas, Dhar, Hoshangabad, Mandla, Sagar, Rewa and Shivpuri in the state. The work of THR delivery was done by them in the remaining districts of the state except Bhopal division. In January, 2020, the work of operation of THR plants was again handed over to MP Agro by the then government. Now the state government has taken a historic decision by giving the work of operation of nutritional food plant again to women self-help groups. With this initiative of the government, lakhs of self-help groups of the state will get benefit in future, as well they have got an opportunity to run such a big business.
Women got the opportunity to conduct big activities
Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Shri Mahendra Singh Sisodia informed that the Madhya Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission under the department has formed about 3 lakh 33 thousand self-help groups in about 45 thousand villages of the state to support the livelihood of about 38 lakh rural poor families and guidance and financial support is being given to strengthen and provide many livelihood opportunities. In this sequence, various efforts are being made by the government from time to time for women empowerment.
Group enterprises are being operated through confederations of groups such as village organisations, cluster level organisations. In this sequence, it has been decided to get the work of operation, management, production, delivery and financial control of nutritional food plants done by federations of women self-help groups formed under Madhya Pradesh State Livelihood Mission.
Self-help groups will get 95 percent dividend
Shri Sisodia said that out of the dividend received from the operation of the plants, 5 percent will be used for the maintenance of the plants, while the remaining 95 percent dividend will be received by the self-help groups. At present, nutritional food worth Rs 50-60 crore is prepared in these plants per month. He said that by entrusting such a huge task to the groups, the commitment of the government towards women empowerment is displayed. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the government is implementing unique schemes for women empowerment not only in the state but in the country so that the state can be made a leading state in the country.
Chief Executive Officer of Madhya Pradesh State Livelihood Mission Shri LM Belwal and other officers were present on this occasion.
